The GSMA today announced the launch of the GSMA Marketplace, the world’s first online commerce platform dedicated to the mobile industry that addresses inefficient procurement processes by bringing buyers and sellers together online to do business 365 days a year. The GSMA Marketplace is now open for firms to register with over 1,300 buyers and sellers from telecoms organisations already signed up to date.
“Whether you are a buyer looking for greater innovation or better prices in your procurement of products or services, or a seller seeking to win new business and enter new markets, the GSMA Marketplace will let you browse, contact and connect with companies who can help you achieve your objectives,” said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. “Our members asked us to set up the GSMA Marketplace and as an industry association we are in a unique position to attract buyers and sellers in telecoms from all over the world. We are focused on establishing it as the premier online destination to do business in the future.”
The GSMA Marketplace draws on the GSMA’s reputation as a trusted intermediary in the telecoms industry, as well as its track record of convening the industry at world-class events such as Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and Shanghai. Every year, Mobile World Congress connects thousands of mobile industry buyers and sellers and now the GSMA Marketplace extends this capability to the digital world, enabling a broader range of buyers and sellers in the telecommunications industry to do business more easily with each other.
Making Procurement Simpler
The GSMA Marketplace has been designed to make procurement simpler and more efficient for both buyers and sellers. Currently, buyers can spend significant time identifying, contacting and evaluating potential suppliers, while sellers also bear high costs in showcasing their products and services and securing new business.
The GSMA Marketplace allows sellers to establish their own personalised online storefronts and promote their products and services to a global community of active qualified telecoms buyers. Sellers will also be able to upload their product and service catalogues and respond to instant Request for Proposals (RFPs) and other more complex queries, enabling them to expand their market reach and increase visibility. The GSMA Marketplace also includes a research tool called ‘Research Centre’ that enables buyers and sellers to analyse markets as well as potential partners and competitors.
The GSMA has also invited its members to join the GSMA Marketplace as buyers. Buyers will be able to research, discover and connect with new suppliers, saving time and money and bring innovation to their company and customers. The GSMA Marketplace will be free of charge to buyers, while sellers will be charged an annual subscription of $1,500USD.
The GSMA Marketplace will be rolled out in phases. The first phase will enable buyers to search, discover and make contact with sellers. Future phases of the GSMA Marketplace will be driven by buyer and seller feedback but could include formal accreditation of sellers as well as the ability to carry out transactions within the site.